Because I Betrayed
by AnimeFanGirl2223
Summary: Sequel to 'When One Betrays'... Set after the war. Please be sure to read the Authors Notes to see exactly when it's taking place! Angst level set on high (as usual).
1. Chapter 1

Okay my lovely, loyal followers, this is the first chapter in the sequel to 'When One Betrays'!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto (because if I did this is how fucked up it would be)

Time-Skip: 10 years after the war ended.

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Because I Betrayed

Chapter 1: Prolog

My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I am the child of prophecy. Tomorrow is my twenty-seventh birthday, the anniversary of the Kyuubi's attack on the Leaf Village. From the moment of my birth, chaos followed me.

My parents, Kushina and Minato gave their lives to seal the demon away within me, starting an unavoidable ripple of consequences. I was scorned and beaten as a child; despised by the very villagers that my presence was supposed to protect.

I was a dead last. A nuisance with no real significance to anyone or anything with no natural talent for the career I chose. But I was determined and swore to become Hokage so that I would be acknowledged for who I was, and not what I held. I promised that I would never be disloyal to Konoha, or the people who lived here.

But everything changed when Itachi Uchiha came and assaulted me. Over the span of three years, he wore down my resolve. My staunch opposition to betraying the people and place I held most dear weakened, and I fell in love with him, knowing that he was an enemy.

With one simple emotion, I betrayed Konoha, the citizens of the village, my friends and myself.

My first true act of betrayal occurred when Itachi brought me back to Mangekyo Sharingan world after we'd shared a passionate night of abandon. I'd given into my desires already, yes, but I'd not given in to my feelings to him until that point.

Then again, I fought against my lover's destiny to die and brought him back, not knowing or caring why he'd slaughtered his clan and gone rogue. It didn't matter to me that he was with an organization formed to capture and kill those who housed the tailed beasts. The only thing that was important was that he loved me, and I loved him.

During the war, he was invaluable. He helped to save me from a revived Nagato and then stopped the dreaded reanimation jutsu with his visual prowess, and I was able to restore his eyes once again with the power the Sage of Six Paths gave me.

In my final battle with Sasuke, I wanted to win for many reasons. To save him just as I had promised Sakura and Itachi, to protect the world from his intense hatred, and to prove myself as not just his equal but superior. But my main reason was so that I would live to see my lover again, and feel his presence around and within me.

It was my opinion that his efforts in the war and the truth behind his defection would be enough to absolve him of any ill will that the world held against him. However, he did not agree and refused to allow the Uchiha name to be tarnished. He told me that he didn't want me to betray everything that I'd worked for and lose it all just for him.

When Itachi held me in his arms, all the troubles of the world and all my suffering faded away. I wondered how I could be betraying so much when it seemed like we were destined to be together if I had believed in such a thing at the time.

But just as my parent's deaths set in motion plans that had long been prophesized, that first act of betrayal spurred a whole new path of heart ache and suffering for me. I don't know what is yet to come in this uphill battle I continue to face, but I know that because my foolish, seventeen-year-old self betrayed everything in that one moment, I made my climb steeper than I might be able to handle.

I thought that fate didn't exist. That it was just a term used by people who were unwilling to take hold of their own destiny and fight for a new one. But now I'm not so sure. Perhaps it is fluid and can change, but maybe it is set in stone like the great faces of the past Hokage, immortalized for all to bear witness to.

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Okay so I realize that this was an extremely short chapter, but I felt like it was necessary so, sorry!

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As always, I am grateful for your support and I hope that you all enjoy my efforts at decent writing!


	2. Chapter 2

Whoop Whoop! I might have a writer's block on my other stories, but not this one (currently lol, knock on wood).

*** So, in the real Naruto storyline, I think he became Hokage somewhere around 25ish? Tell me if I'm wrong. Either way, I'm going to make it a bit earlier at 20.

*** I've also done research that suggests Boruto was born when he was 20-21, but I'm going to make it a bit later and have Naruto be about 23.

*** TIME: My prolog was set 10 years after the war, but after careful consideration for how I want this story to go down, this chapter is taking place only 6 years after (since he's 23 right now). So be aware.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

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Because I Betrayed (Please Read A/N above!)

Chapter 2

Pain.

That's what Naruto felt when he woke up from his restless sleep. Despite all the medical treatment he'd received from Sakura and even the now completely retired Lady Tsunade, he was still feeling the last several months weighing on him.

Slowly, he sat up in his bed and groggily looked around, noticing that he'd beat his alarm clock once again. Sighing, he decided that a hot shower would ease some of the soreness and get him ready for what was sure to be a long day.

After relaxing for a while under the cleansing stream, he'd eventually dragged himself out and sat to eat his simple, instant ramen breakfast. A knock at his door came shortly after, letting him know that it was time to go.

"Hey Naruto, how are you feeling today? Are you sure you're ready?" Shikamaru asked lazily, though there was a hint of concern in his piercing eyes.

"Yeah of course! It's been really boring being stuck in bed all day. Anyway, how is Shikadai?" he answered, hoping to get the topic off himself.

"He's good, Temari is still on maternity leave and is taking care of him" the brunette stated blandly, though anyone who knew him would be able to see the pride on his face. "And your son, is he well?"

Naruto nodded, "Boruto is with Hinata right now."

The two made their way to the Hokage's building, exchanging more small talk until the blonde doubled over in pain, halting their movement.

"Gaa Naruto, you idiot. Sakura told you that your body wasn't ready yet, I can-"

"I'm alright Shikamaru, it's just paperwork" the blonde interrupted, slowly starting to walk up the stairs again.

The Nara sighed loudly in frustration but followed the clearly injured man. He'd taken the job as the Hokage's assistant/advisor despite knowing that it would be difficult. While the blonde was a hero, he could still be so dense and stubborn, and to this day the Nara often wanted to throttle the knucklehead.

"I know you immerse yourself in work to get your mind off 'him' but pushing yourself so hard isn't worth it right now. Not when you have a new baby that needs you" Shikamaru stated, handing the man his official robes.

"Yeah…" Naruto replied, his mind clearly elsewhere.

* * *

***Time-Skip: 1 Week Later***

Just as the medical experts had warned, returning to work so soon had been more than just painful. Naruto sat in his office attempting to focus on whatever document Shikamaru had placed in front of him, but he wasn't having much luck.

His head was splitting from lack of chakra and the constant ticking of the clock was driving him mad. All it did was pound into his already throbbing skull, reminding him of his ever-growing time away from Itachi.

With a menacing growl, he threw his pen with deadly accuracy, stabbing it straight through the gears. He rested his face in his trembling hands, attempting to perform the breathing exercises he'd been taught.

'Knock, knock'

"Come in…" he groaned, hoping it wasn't someone there to complain.

"Look who I've brought to see you Naruto" came a soft voice.

The blonde looked up to see Hinata, holding a little bundle with blonde hair. He smiled warmly, temporarily forgetting the sadness he felt.

The heiress passed him the small, sleeping infant and watched the most powerful man in the world melt at the tiny hands of his son. Naruto was respected and loved by all, but not many were privy to seeing him in such vulnerable moments.

Hinata frowned softly when she saw his almost unsteady breathing. "Naruto…"

"I'm fine Hinata, really. It's just a little sore still" he assured.

The woman activated her Byakugan anyway and felt her previous happiness fall at what she saw. "Please, let me help this time. Your chakra networks are still being rebuilt and the flow is all wrong. Do it for Boruto" she insisted.

Naruto sighed but gently placed the baby on his desk to let her work. After seeing so many people suffer and die in the war, Hinata had also apprenticed under Sakura, using her unique Kekkei Genkai in combination with medical ninjutsu. With her extreme chakra control and precision, she was now able to rival the pink haired kunoichi.

Several swift, gentle fist style jabs later, the blonde felt his suffering reduce significantly. It wouldn't be long before the pain returned though. As his network was reformed, his body had to constantly try to redistribute and redirect chakra to not only build the pathways, but also to get the flow synchronized, and it was struggling to do so.

"Thanks, Hinata, I feel much better" he spoke, his voice brimming with genuine gratitude.

"Of course, and I brought you your lunch since you forgot it this morning" she responded, gesturing to the package she'd placed on his desk.

Naruto smiled sheepishly, the girl had always been a scarily good cook, and that had only increased as she'd gotten older, but especially after becoming a mother. It was like a new switch went off when the baby was born and her already considerable skills increased.

"I won't be in until late tonight. After I leave here I'm going to meet Iruka and Kakashi for dinner and catch up" he mentioned as he unwrapped the bento box, deciding that since his stomach wasn't hurting he'd scarf down the delicious meal.

* * *

Naruto walked to his favorite ramen stand, glad that not many people were out this cold, black night. It was nights like this that he missed Itachi the most, after all, the darker the sky, the more likely it had been for the Uchiha to come and see him.

But the Raven couldn't come and see him tonight and hadn't for what seemed like an eternity. The blonde's hot breath produced steam as we walked, trailing behind him like a ghost. Few people could bring him out from his sadness, and he hoped that his two sensei could do the trick now.

"Hey! If it isn't my favorite customer!" Teuchi chirped when Naruto entered.

The blonde gave a toothy grin and sat down, waiting patiently for his dinner-mates to arrive. After the war had ended, Shikamaru had accidentally let it slip to the blonde that the Jonin and Chunin had an unspoken attraction to one another than neither was willing to act on.

Naruto, desiring nothing more than eternal happiness for everyone, had persistently pestered Kakashi for months, knowing that he'd never convince Iruka to make the first move. Eventually, the Sharingan user gave in to the nagging and asked the overly polite Academy teacher on a date, not believing it would actually go anywhere.

But here they were nearly six years later, happily married. Many people still laughed about the union, not because they disapproved, but because Kakashi and Iruka couldn't have been more different. One was moody and perverted, the other cheerful and prude. Yet somehow, in between all the PDA touching and subsequent scolding, the two were perfect for each other.

"Well hello 'Lord Hokage'!" Iruka exclaimed happily, putting extra emphasis on the title like always.

Naruto turned and hugged the olive-skinned man tightly, becoming concerned when he winced slightly.

His blue eyes flickered up to Kakashi who had followed the Chunin in and received a smug wink. His worry immediately turned into mild disgust. Sure, he was happy that his surrogate father was enjoying married life, but that didn't mean he wanted to know just how much 'fun' he and his other sensei had been having.

When Iruka pulled back he noticed the awkward, grossed out expression Naruto had and looked back, only to see how pleased his husband was.

The mans face flushed scarlet, and he swatted at the Jonin. "I can't take you anywhere Kakashi!" he hissed in embarrassment.

"Mah, don't look at me! You're the one who insisted we come here after earlier…"

Iruka looked as if steam would come out of his ears at any moment, but stomped over to sit down at the bar, fully intending on ignoring his lover for the rest of the evening.

Naruto laughed loudly at their antics, though a part of him wished Itachi were here to make him feel just as embarrassed.

"So how is my godson?" Iruka asked, trying to change the subject.

"He's doing really good; barely ever cries" Naruto answered, "and how are mine?"

Kakashi and Iruka both grinned proudly. Although they hadn't been able to have children together, they'd each used a surrogate to have children, and adopted one on top of that.

Their adopted son was the oldest, an orphan from the last war named Ryuu who was six now. Gin, age two, came next and was Kakashi's biological child, cleverly named for his silver hair. The youngest was Hikari, almost one, Iruka's biological daughter, so named for her radiant beauty.

"Ryuu is doing well at the academy and Gin is starting his 'terrible twos' phase. Then, of course, Hikari is being spoiled rotten by Kakashi" the Chunin explained.

The blonde listened to his mentor talk about his children and felt true peace knowing that things were working out for them. But Itachi was still present in the back of his mind, and he longed to feel those dark eyes staring into his soul once more.

* * *

Itachi sat under the starless sky patiently, waiting for the right moment to strike, though it didn't seem like it would happen tonight. He relaxed back against the bare, frost covered tree, only his red eyes visible under the many layers he wore.

But the wind still chilled him deeply, and he wished that Naruto were there with him to help warm his frozen body. It had been months since he'd sent the blonde a note letting him know that he was alive and well, but it was too risky to do so right now.

The enemy he was investigating was very cautious, bordering on paranoid. It seemed like even the Hokage's messenger birds shared his boisterous, attention grabbing entrance style, and he couldn't afford to be noticed just yet.

In the six years since the war had ended, Naruto had indeed brought peace to the five nations as he'd always strived to do, but humanity had yet to purge all its corruption and darkness. In the absence of any world ending threats came a new wave of initially small-time criminals, but as usual, those insignificant groups had gradually grown and became more dangerous.

Itachi, still a loyal Leaf shinobi to the core, did his best to eliminate the troublemakers before they became prominent enough to warrant the Kage's attention, but there was only so much he could do.

He closed his hardened eyes slowly, reminding himself that by being here, he was protecting Naruto from afar and that his comfort and desires came second to his loves safety. He would support the blonde's dreams of being Hokage and world peace from the shadows, where he thoroughly believed someone like him belonged. Though he desperately hoped to be warmed by his sunshine again soon...

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****Remember! Chapter 1 was a 'prolog' but was set 10 years after the war while this chapter is before that, only 6 years after the war.

Anyway… Chapter two is now complete.

What has caused Naruto to be so injured? Did he marry Hinata? Will he and Itachi ever be happy together again?

Find out by continuing to read my epic tale of two lovers, betraying fate in any way they can.

LOL… epic my ass…

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	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, loyal fans! I hope you haven't forgotten about this story!**

 **Enjoy, and keep being patient for the next chapters! Read some of my other stories if you are interested! They aren't that bad either!**

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Because I Betrayed

Chapter 3

~Time Skip: 2 Weeks~

Once again Naruto found himself alone in his home, the fading light of a cloud-covered sunset casting shadows through his windows as he gazed out at the village. But then he felt it. A tingle burning through his nerves in an animalistic way. "I didn't think you'd be back yet. I haven't heard from you for so long…"

The dark figure moved closer, daring to expose itself in the dimness. Red eyes opened to reveal a desire so deep that not even fate had been able to quell it. "I promised you I'd come back…always."

Naruto smiled when he felt strong hands pulling him away from the glass, farther and farther until he too was hidden in the darkness. This is where he felt most safe now, away from the judgment of daylight and those who basked in it.

He breathed in deeply as his lips collided with his lovers, arching his back for the hand that pressed against it. Their bodies melded into each other, stimulating their already intense need.

Itachi broke the kiss and trailed his tongue along Naruto's jawline, nipping at his earlobe before continuing down to his soft neck. He could hear the blondes breathing becoming heavier with each passing second, making his pants become unbearably tight with desire.

He twisted them around, pressing Naruto into the wall and lifting so the blonde could wrap his legs around him before diving back into his sweet lips. Itachi began to grind himself into the younger, their clothed erections rubbing together.

"Ohh G-Gods… Itachi… I n-need…" Naruto started, his voice shaking in pleasured anticipation.

Itachi nuzzled the underside of his neck, a happy smirk on his face. "What do you need hmm?" he asked seductively.

"Hah bastard… Just fuck me!"

"As you wish, my love" the Raven answered, his own need keeping him from waiting any longer. He pulled away from the wall, carrying Naruto towards the bed they were rarely able to share.

The two rolled around, their hands roaming each other's heated skin as their clothes were cast aside carelessly. Naruto eventually ended up on top, straddling his lover's naked body. He ran his tan fingers down Itachi's chest as he stared at the perfectly toned torso. "I love you so much, Itachi" he stated, slowly raising his blue eyes to meet the others.

"And I love you, now come here and let me make love to you" he answered.

Naruto smiled warmly before reaching over to grab the lube out of his nightstand. He poured some onto his hand and then pumped his lovers cock slowly, covering it with the slick liquid. "Itachi, I want you inside me… please, Ita..."

The Uchiha gripped the blonde's hips and guided them down to his throbbing member. He gently pushed himself in, watching as Naruto's head fell backward in a pained pleasure. "Tell me if I need to slow down."

"No…" Naruto answered, "keep going… I want to feel you Itachi…"

The elder couldn't resist any longer, and yanked his lover down, holding him tightly as he began thrusting deep into the tight warmth. He moaned softly as Naruto's teeth raked across his collarbone, and snapped his hips up harder, ramming into his lover's prostate.

Naruto tangled his fingers in the silky black hair and squeezed his eyes together tightly, the burning pleasure in his groin building with every move Itachi made.

The two kissed feverishly as their mutual orgasms crashed through them. When they came down from their high, their eyes met, letting them know that nothing had changed, they still, and would always, belong to one another.

* * *

Itachi slowly trailed his fingers up and down the still soft, tan skin of his lovers back, breathing in his golden scent. His heart was whole again for the first time in so long, but his eyes remained saddened in the stillness of the night. He'd have to leave Naruto again soon; it wouldn't be long before someone figured out he was back in Konoha.

"What does he look like?" he asked quietly.

Naruto lazily smiled and gazed up at his lover. Boruto looks exactly like me… He doesn't look like you at all I'm afraid."

Itachi chuckled lightly, giving silent thanks for that. With their relationship secret from all but Naruto's closest friends, it was best that their baby didn't look like him.

Kurama had known how deeply Naruto had fallen in love with the Uchiha and knew what events had caused the entirety of his clan to be wiped out. As an apology for being one the catalysts for the terrible massacre, and in an attempt to give his host happiness, he'd reworked the blondes entire body to be suitable for carrying a child.

Knowing that the blonde was a little too dense to understand the gravity of his 'gift', the Fox had neglected to tell him initially. Unfortunately, he'd underestimated just how potent the elder's seed was, and Naruto had been knocked up before preparations were complete.

Even with how bad he knew the situation would be, Kurama couldn't help but laugh whenever he thought about the duel looks of fear, confusion, happiness and otherwise that had covered their faces when he'd told them.

It had been one of the rare times that Itachi was back in the village visiting his secret lover.

~Flashback~

" _Hey Kurama, you know, I'm not feeling so well. I've never been sick before in my life since you've always been watching over me… is something wrong? Are you okay?"_

" **Brat, I'm going to need you to wake up that Uchiha you're so fond of… now."**

" _OH NO! OH NO! OH NO! I'm dying, aren't I?"_

" **NARUTO! I SAID WAKE HIM UP! If you were dying I would have told you already!"** he growled loudly, taking a deep breath to keep himself from getting caught up in the boy's chaos. **"But, it is important. So, hurry up and shake the red eyed bastard."**

The blonde shook Itachi wildly, more than waking him from his somewhat light sleep.

"Naruto? What is it. What's wrong" he asked, his voice strained in worry.

"Uh... uh… I don't know! Kurama said there was something he needed to talk to us about because I haven't been feeling well and well, I uh… I actually don't know what it's about!"

Itachi immediately activated his Sharingan so that he could peer into Naruto's mind, enabling him to speak to the Fox with Naruto present.

"What's wrong with Naruto, Kurama?" Itachi asked, doing his best to remain calm as the blonde hung on him in the dungeon.

" **There's no easy way to put this, so I might as well just say it. Naruto is pregnant with your baby Uchiha, so you better man up and take care of him."**

The two boys stood still in front of the great cage, seemingly frozen from the information dropped on them. After several minutes of very awkward silence, the Fox spoke again.

" **Did you two not hear me? Naruto. Is. Pregnant. That's why you haven't been feeling good brat, it's called morning sickness."**

Still, they didn't answer. Naruto looked like he'd mentally checked out of his own mind, and Itachi had paled even more than usual, his usually stoic expression replaced by an 'I might faint' look.

Kurama became even more restless, his flailing tails almost stilling in nervousness. **"Someone say something! This is serious!"** he bellowed.

Finally, Itachi spoke, "how is this possible?"

" **I was just trying to give you a way to revive your clan… That crazed brother of yours can't be the only Uchiha to have offspring… and I could feel how much Naruto wanted to give you children so I… I started making his body ready to accommodate that desire…"**

"If that's the case, you could have just told him. There must be a reason you are telling us after he'd already become pregnant." Itachi questioned, the initial shock having been replaced by a sense of dread.

" **As always Uchiha, you are too smart for your own good. As I said, I was making his body ready, the process wasn't complete before you two started acting like rabbits. The iss-"**

" _I'm pregnant?!"_ Naruto screamed, cutting off the Fox as he was explaining what was wrong. _"Wait, Itachi… you aren't upset, are you? I mean, you want a baby, right? I know you have to hide when you're in the village, but I don't think I can do this without you."_

The Uchiha smiled genuinely, and kissed his frantic lover. "No Naruto, I'm not upset. Words can't express how happy I am to know that I'm going to be a father. We'll make it work no matter what."

Meanwhile, Kurama was about to explode, and reached through the cage to flick the two lovebirds in the head, **"Pay attention, you bratty humans! This is important! Naruto, you may not be able to carry the baby yet. In all likelihood, you will lose it or your own life. My seal pulls a tremendous amount of chakra from your body, and the baby will as well. That's why the seal almost comes undone when female jinchuriki have children. But your case is especially difficult, since not only are you not a female, but I wasn't finished fixing everything."**

The blonde looked like his eyes had glazed over about halfway through the conversation, so the Fox turned to his lover instead, making sure that he understood the gravity of the situation.

"What needs to be done, Kurama?"

" **I know the brat has become the Hokage, but he won't be able to use his chakra until after the baby is born… if he is even able to make it that far. In addition, to make the adjustments necessary, his chakra network will need to be almost obliterated so that the energy is only sent to where I need it."**

" _Psst… Ita… what is he saying?"_ Naruto questioned, his blue eyes staring up at his lover in worry and confusion.

"The baby may die, or you both might. You won't-"

" _The baby can't die! No! I won't let it I… I…"_ Naruto interrupted, his voice starting to crack towards the end as he began to understand just how serious this was.

Itachi grabbed the youngers' face and forced him to look into his eyes. "It's not a guarantee, but if you do what Kurama says, there's a chance. You can't use any chakra until after the baby is born."

" **Right, and we will need medical specialists to work with me. Call that old hag and the irritating pink haired girl over so that I can speak with them. In the meantime, Itachi… I know you want to stay here with Naruto during all this, and you can for part of the time. But he will need someone to take care of the enemies threatening Konoha just like before this happened. And now that he won't be able to defend the village, it's even more important that you are the first line of defense."**

" _You mean Itachi can't stay?"_ Naruto questioned, his voice starting to become panicked again.

"I want to be here, I love you Naruto… but Kurama is right. To keep you safe I need to be continuing my missions outside the village so that nothing can come close to threatening it or you and the baby. Trust me… I'll come back, always."

~End Flashback~

Just as the Fox had said, the pregnancy was difficult, and the two had barely made it out alive. Itachi had only been able to come back for short, heartbreaking visits, but it had been worth every second.

"Hinata is taking care of him tonight… she offered to pretend that we had the child together so that no one would know about you. It's funny though, it's like she really became a mother when I first let her hold Boruto. Even her cooking has improved, and I didn't think that was possible." Naruto explained. "Plus, the entire Hyuga Clan is there to protect him, so I can sleep well at night."

"That's good to hear." Itachi answered, feeling grateful for the white-eyed beauty. "Do they know that she didn't actually have him?"

Naruto sighed, knowing how difficult this must be for Itachi. "Her father, sister, and Neji know, but I sent her to Suna for the duration of my pregnancy, so no one would suspect anything. It was hard enough hiding my stupid belly and having Shikamaru do all the work while I was in bed. But I don't think they mind. After all, I was the one who saved Neji during the war with old man Six-Paths help."

"The villagers don't think it's strange that you and Hinata don't live together?" Itachi asked.

"Well, she's going to be the head of the Hyuga Clan one day since Neji is permanently injured from the war. You know, since his lungs and spine are so damaged. But he's going to help her lead the clan into a new, less prejudice era. Anyway… she can't give up that responsibility, and it would seem biased if I lived in the compounds of a specific clan, so no one really cares. I think most people are just upset that she and I aren't married."

"I see…Do you think they'd mind if I saw him?" Itachi continued, his voice holding a tinge of worry.

Naruto sat up and stared down at the love of his life, an unusual amount of seriousness clouding his face. "Itachi… I know the village might not be ready to accept you, but I want you to move back here with me. I... I can't raise him without his father, he needs you… I need you…"

The Raven couldn't help but feel his heart clench at the look he was receiving, but he wondered if he could really do what he was being asked. He'd kept away all these years so that Naruto could be the Hokage without being judged for the sins of his lover. But the blonde was even more adored now than when he'd become the hero of the world, so maybe it wouldn't be like it had been before.

"One step at a time Naruto…" he finally answered. "How about I move into a cabin outside Konoha and then we can see how the villagers react to a pardon."

The blonde grinned happily before practically jumping on Itachi with excitement. "Don't worry! We're going to be a family. Once they know how you helped us in the war, they'll have to forgive you! Now come on! You and I have to get dressed so we can go see Boruto!"

"Naruto… it's nearly three in the morning. We should probably wait until the sun comes up." The Uchiha suggested, smirking at the blonde's antics. "It's been so long since I was able to sleep next to you, and hold you in my arms."

The younger blushed sheepishly and snuggled back into the strong, pale chest. Life hadn't been this good for a long time, maybe ever. He just hoped that it would stay that way…

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 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I know it's been awhile since I updated, but I'm struggling with where to take this story.**

 **Please Follow/Favorite/Review! I really appreciate it when I get feedback from loyal readers… It gives me to motivation to keep writing.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the long wait! Chapter four! Hurray!**

 **Disclaimer: I Don't Own Naruto!**

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Because I Betrayed

Chapter 4

Naruto sat tapping his finger on his desk in annoyance. The elders were still alive, and they made sure to harass him every chance they got. It wasn't that they had anything against him in particular, after all, he'd saved the world more than once at this point, but it was their job use their past experiences to argue different opinions so the best outcome for any given situation was achieved. Today's visit was concerning Itachi.

Due to the delicate predicament, Naruto had been put in with the surprise pregnancy, they'd been brought into the very small loop. They knew the true reason for Itachi's treason against the Leaf, having partially caused the massacre, and that he'd been a vital part of their war effort against Madara, but they still didn't think that he should be allowed back into the village.

"Pardoning him would lead to questions we simply can't answer. Danzo and our Anbu forces did many terrible things in the past, and we aren't disputing that, but those were different times. Letting Itachi's true mission the night of the Uchiha massacre become public knowledge could undermine Konoha's leadership hierarchy." Koharu explained.

"How exactly would it do that mam?" Shikamaru asked, having already instructed Naruto to let him do most of the talking. "All of the five great nations, as well as the smaller ones, have agreed to total transparency, and our village is still composed of generations accustomed to war and secrecy. They'd understand that what happened was simply a consequence of the past, and not something that reflects our current situation."

Homura shook his head sadly. "If only it were that easy."

"How is it not that easy" Naruto growled in frustration. "It was you all and Danzo that forced Itachi into making such a terrible choice. He has served the Leaf as a loyal shinobi for over two decades and is only disgraced because you all made such a bad decision years ago."

"The mission Itachi received was neither immoral nor unnecessary. The Uchiha were set on a coup de ta, and the conflict would have left the village open to an outside attack which hostile nations would have capitalized on. In no time another Great War would have broken out and Konoha would have been destroyed after losing so many of our shinobi to an internal conflict of that caliber." Homura stated firmly, receiving a nod from his old teammate.

"But if that is the case, and it couldn't have been avoided, then that is even more reason for pardoning Itachi," Shikamaru argued, still not understanding what the big deal was.

"You youngsters don't understand what can happen when citizens start to question the stability and trustworthiness of their government. What if a clan starts to wonder at what point they will become expendable for the sake of the village just like the Uchiha were?" Koharu explained.

Shikamaru sighed heavily, understanding what she meant, though it was obvious Naruto still didn't. "So, what you're saying is, despite the peace and trust that we have now, it's still young and hasn't been fully tested yet. If we were to come out with all of our bloody past at once, especially concerning the approval for a genocide of an entire Konoha clan, it could shake that budding progress. And if a clan started to worry about their standing in the Leaf, they would scrutinize every decision just like the Uchiha did, eventually creating enough grudges on either side that it built up to a threat against the village."

The blonde's eyes didn't change from their determined glare though, irritating the council members. "You all are acting like we are still in the Warring States Period or the Great War Period our predecessors had to deal with. No one believed that shinobi of rival nations could understand each other, but it happened. Tens of thousands fought and died protecting each other and their loved ones back home, and the people who survived have bonded over that shared loss and triumph."

Shikamaru went to stop Naruto's speech, but he was quickly waved silent, allowing the blonde to continue, "People say I'm the kid that makes miracles, but I couldn't have gotten to where I am today without my comrades help, including and especially Itachi. I never go back on my word and if anyone has a problem with what happened all those years ago then I'll talk to them myself."

Koharu and Homura gave each other distressed looks, neither completely trusting that this was the best option. Shikamaru however, had a defeated smile on his face. He expected no less from the boisterous Hokage.

"Look, I've prepared several options for how to go about letting him back into the village. I think the best choice is to break things down into parts. Part one would be giving him a pardon by explaining what he did for the allied forces during the war. After all, Orochimaru and Kabuto were forgiven for what they did and they actually caused far more damage to the Leaf and other nations than Itachi ever did. Then, once we are sure that has been smoothed over we'd move on to part two and so on." Shikamaru offered, hoping that they could at least come to a compromise.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the two, doing his best to be patient as they whispered back and forth to each other.

* * *

Itachi waited patiently in the small apartment while Naruto had gone to meet with the elders. He was nervous about what they would say, certain that his blonde would demand the world all at once.

" _I hope Shikamaru can mediate in their meeting… I know Naruto believes that the villagers will forgive the Uchiha for threatening the Leaf, but what if he's wrong and they don't? What if the crimes of my people are projected onto my child?"_ he thought worriedly.

Itachi's stomach twisting tightly, that brought a whole new set of problems to his troubled mind _"And my son, Boruto. How can I be trusted to raise a child after all that I've done? I killed almost every member of my clan, even innocent children and then warped Sasuke's young mind almost beyond repair. Then I forced myself on Naruto so many times; what will Boruto think of a father that would do such things?"_

The front door opened, rousing him from his detrimental thoughts, and he could barely hide his worry. Itachi swallowed hard and stood as he heard his lover's footsteps coming towards him. He took a deep breath to calm himself, still grateful that he could do so without feeling intense pain as he did before Naruto healed him.

"I can give you a pardon!" Naruto exclaimed happily as he threw the bedroom door open. He bounced over and jumped into Itachi's arms, kissing him passionately.

The Uchiha felt his heart skip a beat. He was also excited at the prospect of getting a second chance, but in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but feel guilty. His clan's misdeeds were bound to come out eventually, and that was not something he wanted his children to have branded into their heritage.

Still, he held his lover tightly and showered him with affection; he wouldn't let his fears ruin his blondes happy mood.

"So, now that we have that out of the way, let's sneak you over to the Hyuga compound so you can meet Boruto! You're going to love him Itachi!"

Before the Raven had a chance to respond, Naruto had used Flying Raijin to teleport them away, landing in Hinata's room moments later.

The girl turned around quickly in shock, dropping the baby bag she'd been packing. Itachi however, was quick to react and caught it just before it hit the ground and spilled, handing it back to the kunoichi quietly. He could see she was still nervous around him, and it made their limited encounters awkward.

Even if Hinata and all of Naruto's friends knew the truth about Itachi, it didn't change how nervous they were around him. The fact that he'd been able to bring himself to kill his own comrades and most of his family haunted them. Then there was the fact that he'd raped Naruto more than once; they struggled to let go of that as well.

"Itachi-san" she gasped, "t-thank you."

The man nodded and looked over to where Naruto had scurried off to, completely oblivious to the awkward exchange taking place. Itachi could hear the baby starting to coo from seeing his 'mother' and felt his blood run cold, his fear of failing the child like he'd failed Sasuke coming back in full force.

"I'll leave you three alone for now and go to fix dinner. Will you join us, Itachi-san?" she asked politely.

"Uh, yes… Hinata… thank you…" He replied, the words coming out slowly as his mouth became increasingly dry.

Hinata smiled gently. Taking care of the infant had greatly increased her intuition, and she could sense how nervous the usually confident ninja was. "He likes having his belly rubbed" she stated, hoping that giving him a hint of what Boruto liked would boost his self-esteem.

As soon as she left, Hinata's words floated through his veins, giving his legs the push they needed to start moving. He made his way over to the crib and peered in, his breath leaving him when he saw the blonde haired bundle staring up at him in confusion.

Itachi reached down slowly and used his thumb to rub the exposed jelly-belly. At first, nothing happened and he worried he'd done something wrong already, but right as he was about to pull away, Boruto started giggling hysterically, kicking his feet and grabbing onto his father's hand with his chubby fingers.

The carefree response melted away all the fears he'd been suffering from in an instant, and he gently picked up the excited baby, holding him close. He smiled, turning his attention to Naruto who had been quietly watching.

Itachi quickly pulled his love towards him and kissed him intensely. "Thank you, Naruto," he whispered into the blonde's hair.

"What are you talking about?" the Hokage asked curiously.

"You've given me a second chance at life." He answered, gazing down at his family.

"That was ages ago!" Naruto laughed, still got getting what Itachi was referring to.

The Raven put his forehead on Naruto's, looking deeply into his eyes. "Even after that, you helped me. You redeemed Sasuke to his friends and village just as you are working to do for me. Now you've given me this perfect child so that I can rebuild the clan that I destroyed. And finally, I get to live every day knowing that you love me. You really do make miracles."

Naruto blushed heavily but relaxed into his lovers embrace, completely content.

* * *

Sasuke walked through the trees as one of the Hokage messenger birds flew down to him. He extended his arm, allowing the bird to land so he could get the note.

" _Sasuke, I hope you're doing alright. I know you're still out trying to right your wrongs and everything, but we need you back in Konoha right now. It's really important so don't blow me off teme!"_

The Uchiha smiled a bit at how informal the Hokage's messages always were.

Naruto had beaten him during their second battle at the Valley of the End, and when they'd woken up from their near-death experience the blonde had still been there to tell him that they were friends and always would be. Not even his insanity could resist the warm pull of the eternal optimist.

Sasuke sighed, despite the fact that Naruto and he were now on good terms again, he'd forever feel guilty for hurting him. The conversation they had right after the war flew through his mind again.

 _~Flash Back~_

"I've talked to the council and they're willing to pardon you for your crimes leading up to the war! Isn't it great Sasuke?" Naruto asked

"But… how can I be forgiven? I hurt so many people, I threatened the Leaf and I assaulted you…why wou-"

"Damn it teme! Do I need to pummel you again?" the blonde shouted, waving around his remaining arm. "I told you that you are my friend, I love you like a brother! Gah! You Uchiha's are all so stubborn!"

The Raven's eyes were getting wet under the seal that was keeping them covered. He lowered his head some, silently explaining what was still bothering him.

Naruto sat down next to him and boldly wrapped his arm around the elder's shoulders. "Look, Sasuke, I know you. You will probably always feel guilty, but I understand why you did all those terrible things." Naruto started, his voice soft.

Seeing it still wasn't enough, he continued. "Almost no one could imagine enduring the slaughter of their entire clan at the hands of the person they loved most. That alone would make anyone well up with hatred. Then after years of making choices solely out of pain from that one night and killing the target of your vengeance, you find out he did it all for you and his village. I mean really, Sasuke, no one can fault you for falling off the deep end."

"But I could have come home then and tried to support Itachi's will to protect the Leaf. Instead, I attacked you and swore to destroy everything that had ever hurt my brother." Sasuke argued, trying to pull out of the blonde's embrace.

Naruto wouldn't let go, however, and rested his head on Sasuke's, his ear close enough to hear the sniffles the Raven was trying to hold back.

"That's what hatred and revenge do to a person teme. It makes them do crazy things. I'll admit, I was really upset after you kidnapped and hurt me, but I understand why you did that too! You loved your brother so much and always wanted what he had, but you also were angry at him for twisting your view of the world with lies so you projected that anger on to me. It was kind of like you were punishing him and attempting to keep a piece of what he loved with you at the same time…" Naruto stated, hugging the elder.

"I-I…." the Raven sobbed, his final walls falling.

"Come on teme… if you get pardoned you can go and make amends in the world like we talked about while we were waiting for Sakura to come save us. Just let go of all that negative shit you've been holding onto because to Itachi and me, you've already been forgiven… we both will love you always." Naruto soothed, holding the Uchiha close to him as he finally broke down.

 _~End Flash Back~_

Squeezing the paper tightly, he turned to head in the direction of Konoha, determined to do what was necessary to protect those precious to him.

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